Marsch retires, Crew signs Colombian

*Chivas USA midfielder Jesse Marsch, one of three players to appear in matches in each of MLS's 14 seasons, announced his retirement to become an assistant coach under Bob Bradley with the U.S. national team.

The only others to play at least once in every year of MLS are Steve Ralston, who signed with second-division St. Louis this week; and D.C. United's Jaime Moreno, the league's all-time leading scorer, who is set to play in Washington in 2010.

Marsch, 36, began his career with United in 1996 and had four league goals in two seasons before being claimed by Bradley, then the coach of the Chicago Fire, in the expansion draft.

"I remember my first day as a pro soccer player, 22 years old, jumping into a van at United training camp in Del Mar [Calif.]," he told the Insider today. "John Harkes was driving, Jeff Agoos was in the front passenger's seat and I slid in next to Marco Etcheverry. I'm thinking: 'What am I doing here?' But once I got on the field and got comfortable around those guys, I was confident I would fit in."

Overall, he appeared in 321 regular season and 37 playoff matches, won three MLS Cup and four U.S. Open Cup titles. This offseason, he interviewed for the Chicago head coaching vacancy, which was given to Carlos de los Cobos. Marsch will join the U.S. squad next week.

*As we suspected this morning, the Columbus Crew has acquired Colombian Sergio Herrera, a 28-year-old forward from Deportivo Cali who has four goals in 11 national team appearances. He scored 26 goals in 92 matches for Cali.

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*Real Salt Lake added Miles Joseph, a midfielder for New York, Columbus and Dallas between 1996 and 2001, to the coaching staff under Jason Kreis.

*The Colorado Rapids formally announced plans for a Supporters Terrace in the north end of Dick's Sporting Goods Park -- "an adult-oriented area designed to allow for the exuberance of the Rapids' most passionate fans."

Look, when the owners want a "family oriented" fun time and banish a supporters group to a tiny corner, you get what you deserve.

They allow prime seating for all the moms and pops and teams to sit on their hands, and the result is a pretty sorry atmosphere.

the Class VI Rapids fan group has always invited United supporters for a free bbq/beer tail gate, by the way,

but when you are dealt a stadium on the far side of the moon from downtown, and the hordes of youth in suburbs on the West side of Denver, as well as the fans sitting at universities in Boulder and Fort Collins, it makes it difficult to find critical mass.

49 days until Moreno alone holds the MLS record for most seasons played in!

Well, until United plays its first 2010 league match. But given our center midfield spot, it wouldn't surprise me to see Moreno sub in there. We seem to have more need for him there than at striker and he's played the position in the past.